Volunteers marked over 60 storm drains during the summer of 2009 with tags reading, " No Dumping...Drains To River" to remind area residents that storm water does not go through the water treatment plant. The water flows to streams and rivers that are home to cutthroat trout, winter steelhead, and many other aquatic species.

Here's what you can do to help:
1. Always sweep sidewalks, driveways, and patios instead of hosing them down.
2. Wash your car on the lawn or gravel areas using non-toxic, low phosphate cleansers. A lawn benefits from the extra nutrients; a stream does not. Use a shut-off nozzle on the hose so you don't waste water by leaving it running.
3. Water and mow your lawn properly. Watering heavily once/week (to a depth of one inch) promotes deeper root growth and is more effective than numerous light waterings. Mow your lawn only when it needs it, and avoid over-cutting.
4. Recycle used motor oil and antifreeze. Never dump it down a storm drain! Wipe up motor oil and antifreeze drips when they occur.
5. Recycle or compost yard debris. Avoid dumping debris such as grass clippings into stream channels. It removes oxygen from the water needed by fish and other aquatic organisms.
This project will begin again next summer. If you have a group interested in helping with this activity, please call the YBC office at 503-474-1047.